UPDATE (1/7/2022): The NSW Dine & Discover vouchers have now officially expired. You will no longer be able to use them in restaurants or for experiences.
Your NSW Government-supplied $25 Dine and Discover vouchers expire on June 30. So, while we recommend using your outstanding Dine vouchers to treat yourself to a fancy lunch, Discover vouchers can be a little trickier to make the most of. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of places in Sydney and its surrounds that will let you spend your vouchers online in exchange for experiences, tickets, and even other vouchers to be enjoyed further down the road. And if you’re feeling particularly generous, we’ve even found some charities that you can donate your vouchers to, enabling you to tick off your good deed for the day.
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What Can You Use Your Discover Voucher For?
While they can be a tricky thing to fully utilise, you can use Discover vouchers online, allowing you to book places and experiences beforehand. When it comes to what you can use your Discover voucher for, the world is (almost) your oyster. We’ve put together a list of activities for you to put your hard-earned tickets to good use, so allow us to dish out a few Discover voucher ideas.
Hoyts Cinemas
Hoyts Cinemas is one of the best options for those with a Discover voucher or two languishing in the Service NSW smartphone app. You can choose from either a Hoyts e-voucher, which you can redeem for two tickets to any regular movie session, or Hoyts Lux e-voucher, for which you’ll receive a single ticket to a session with “premium food and wine selection at your fingertips.” The best part is Hoyts’ vouchers are redeemable for a full three years from their purchase date, so you’re buying yourself plenty of time.
Headquarters: Sydney
CEO: Damian Keogh (2014–)
Founder: Arthur Russell
Founded: 1909
Number of employees: Estimated 4000
Event Cinemas
If Event Cinemas are more conveniently located for you, you can still use your Discover vouchers online, but you’ll need to use them to pay for a specific session you want to attend. So, whether you’re keen to check out Thor: Love and Thunder, Elvis, or you’re yet to check out the outstanding Top Gun: Maverick, why not plan a trip to the movies this weekend with you and any friends who also are yet to spend their Discover vouchers?
Headquarters: Sydney
Founded: 1913
Number of employees: 5,000+
Number of locations: 140+
Sydney Opera House
You need to spend money to make money as they say. While you’ll have to chip in some of your own money in order to use your Discover voucher at the Sydney Opera House website, you can still make sure said voucher doesn’t go to waste. Put your free $25 towards a $50 gift voucher, chip in the difference and you’ll have three years to find an Opera House event that tickles your fancy.
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9250 7111
Architects: Jørn Utzon, Peter Hall
Founded: 20 October 1973
Capacity: 5,738
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Has it been a while since you’ve visited Darling Harbour and checked out the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium? Now’s your chance to remind yourself of all the wonders under the sea. You’ll need to pick the specific date you plan on turning up and chip in a few coins of your own, but we reckon it’s worth it to come face to face with the incredible sealife on display.
Located in: Darling Harbour
Address: 1-5 Wheat Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Sat-Wed: 9:30am-4pm, Thurs-Fri: 10am-3pm
Phone: 1800 195 650
Notable animals: Sphen (Gentoo penguin), George, Ani, Magic, MORE
Opened: 1988
Function: Aquarium
Number of animals: 13,000
No. of species: 700
Volume of largest tank: 2,000,000 litres (440,000 imp gal; 530,000 US gal)
Wild Life Sydney Zoo
If you prefer your wildlife to be land-based then perhaps the Wild Life Sydney Zoo will be more your speed. As it’s located right next to the aquarium, you’ll still get to enjoy a day out at beautiful Darling Harbour, but like the aquarium, you’ll need to select the specific day you want to purchase a ticket for using your Discover voucher.
Located in: Darling Harbour
Address: 1-5 Wheat Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Wed: 9:30am-5pm, Thurs-Fri: 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun: 9:30am-5pm
Phone: 1800 195 650
Exhibits: Kakadu Gorge, Kangaroo Walk-About, Wallaby Cliffs, MORE
Opened: 2006
Notable animals: Zac (Eclectus parrot), Jackie (Platypus), MORE
Owner: Merlin Entertainments
Land area: 7,000 square metres (75,000 sq ft)
Major exhibits: 10 Zones
Taronga Zoo
Iconic Taronga Zoo uniquely combines an array of incredible animals with equally incredible views of Sydney’s harbour and skyline. Put your Discover voucher towards a ticket to the grand old zoo and you’ll have a year to find the time for a visit.
Address: Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088
Departments: Seal Show
Hours: Mon-Sun: 9am-4:30pm
Phone: (02) 9969 2777
Notable animals: Porntip, Tukta, Gung, Pathi Harn, Thong Dee, Luk Chai
Opened: 7 October 1916
Area: 21 ha
Exhibits: Great Southern Oceans, Giant Tortoises, Dog Row, MORE
Architect: George McRae
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
If Sydney’s a bit of a trek, Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo offers the exact same deal. Few things are more relaxing than leisurely biking around the expansive zoo, where you can feed carrots to the giraffes or see lions lounging in the shade.
Address: Obley Rd, Dubbo NSW 2830
Hours: Mon-Sun: 9am-4pm
Phone: (02) 6881 1400
Notable animals: Tanami, Xolani, Mbeli, Nyota, Serati, Kibali, MORE
Opened: 28 February 1977
Area: 3 km²
Number of animals: 4,000
Major exhibits: 45
No. of species: 97
Donate
If none of the above appeals, but you don’t want your Discover vouchers to go to waste, why not donate them to charity? Oakvale Wildlife Park, Symbio Wildlife Park and the Australian Reptile Park are asking that any vouchers be paid forward so they can be used to help kids in need. By doing so you’ll be ensuring that free passes to the parks are provided to children’s charities. As we said, that’s your good deed for the day sorted!
NSW Dine & Discover Guide
With the final NSW Dine & Discover voucher days drawing near, it’s worth reacquainting yourself with the key information. Before you go hard and spend up big, make sure you know when, where and how to use the tourism and hospitality boosting options.
- What are the NSW Dine & Discvoer Vouchers? – The NSW Dine & Discover vouchers are a Government-led implementation introduced to encourage the community to get out and about and support dining, arts and recreation businesses. First introduced in 2021 in light of the impact of lockdown on the hospitality and tourism sector, the vouchers allow you to support local businesses.
- When do the Dine & Discover vouchers end? – The vouchers were introduced in 2021 as the NSW lockdowns and restrictions lifted. They can be used until 30 June 2022.
- Can I use Dine & Discover on the 30th? – The NSW Dine & Discover vouchers will be available to use on June 30, with the vouchers set to expire at 11:59pm. When the clock hits midnight, you will no longer be able to use them
- Can I use two Dine & Discover vouchers in one day? – According to the NSW government, you are able to use two Dine & Discover vouchers in one day.
- Can you use Dine & Discover for takeaway? – Dine NSW Vouchers can be used to dine in at a restaurant, café, bar, winery, pub and club or for takeaway.
For more information on the NSW Dine & Discover vouchers, check out our full guide.
NSW Discover Vouchers FAQs
According to the NSW government, Dine & Discover vouchers can be used at participating NSW businesses until 30 June 2022. While it cannot be redeemed for cash or used for alcohol, tobacco, gambling, or online orders, you can use them for tickets, experiences and events.
According to the NSW government, you can use Discover vouchers online. To do so, simply proceed to the payment section of your chosen activity. You will then be able to add your Dine & Discover voucher number in the payment method section called NSW Dine and Discover/Parents and click validate. Once the voucher is accepted, $25 will be removed from your order summary. Click Complete your order to proceed.